Three eBook Publishers Reach a Settlement With the DOJ, Apple Still on its Way to Court

The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Wednesday that it has reached a settlement with three major publishers, following an antitrust lawsuit in relation to eBook price fixing that was filed earlier this morning. Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, and Simon & Schuster all agreed to settle out of court, while Apple, Penguin Group and Macmillan Publishers have elected to fight the allegations in court. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder stated at a press conference that this settlement will allow retailers “freedom to reduce the prices of their eBooks.” Acting Assistant Attorney General Sharis Pozen stated that the DOJ plans to actively pursue the claims against the accused companies, and quoted Apple’s late CEO Steve Jobs by saying “The customer pays a little more. But that’s what you want anyway.”